Motor vehicle switch



Feb. 3, 1953 J. F. RUCHINSKL 2,627,563

MOTOR VEHICLE 'swncu Filed April 5, 1950 2 smsms-srmsw 1 (w 25 14 INVENTOR.

ATTD RN EYB Feb. 3, 1953 RUCHlNsKl 2,627,568

MOTOR VEHICLE SWITCH Filed April 5, 1950 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 2'7 6 31 44 J a: a

J1 37 INVENTOR.

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ATI'DRN EYE Patented Feb. 3, 1953 UNITED STAT E S PATENT OFFICE MOTORIVEHICLESWITCH John F. .RucliinskLfWanamie, Pa.

Application April 5, 1950, SeriaI No. 154;063.

This: invention relates to" s'afetywdevices: for protecting motor vehicles, particularly in storage from fire caused bya short circuit resulting from poor connections; worn insulation, or unsatisfactorilyinstalled accessories such. as heaters, radios, cigarette-lighters. and the like, and in particular the invention relates to a cylindrical type-switch positioned in thepositive or negative connection of the battery of thevehicle and provided. with an. opera-ting rod extendedthrough an armored cable whereby the switch is actuated from the instrument board of the vehicle.

The purpose of this invention is to. provide meansafor disconnecting all electrical. circuits in a motor vehicle from the instrument board of the vehicle when the vehicle is in storage.

Many fires are started, from parked motor vehicles due topoor connections, worn insulation and the like and due to the usualtype of battery connection, it is diificult to disconnect the batteryv from the electrical system of the vehicle. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a cylindrical type of. switch with terminal posts on the sides through-which. a battery terminal may be connected to the switch and the switch connected to the ground or to the starter motor, and with: the. switch actuated from the instrument board by an armored cable the circuit may readily be brokenlwithout disconnecting th wiring and without, opening the engine hood.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide means for forming-a switch so that it may be connected in the connection between. the battery of a motor vehicleandthe groundconnection and operated from the instrument board.

Anotherobject of the invention is to. provide a switch for disconnecting thebattery of a motor vehicle from the electrical system that may be mounted in the motor vehicle'without changing parts. thereof...

A further objectpfthe invention is toprovide a switch adapted to be connected to a battery terminal of a motor vehicle and actuated from the instrument board which is of a simple and economical construction.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings wherein:

Figure l is an elevational view showing part of a motor vehicle engine with the battery positioned at one side thereof and with parts of the vehicle broken away, illustrating the position of the switch and the connection thereof to the instrument board 01' the vehicle.

Figure: .2, is a plan view of the; -battery-oi1 the vehicle. showing the mounting of. the switch thereon.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the switch illustrating the, position of the parts with the switch closed.

Figure 4 is a similar view taken-at a right angle. to, thatshownin- Figure 3. v

Figure. 5 is a cross section throughgthe terminals of the switch taken on line 5-5zx0f Fi ure 3.

Figure 6 is a cross. section through; the switch taken on line 6-6 of Figure-3.

Figure 7 is a detail showing an end elevational view of the switch, and showing a. modification wherein the mounting flange extendsfrom. one side of the casing.

Referring now to the drawingswhereinlike reference characters denote. corresponding parts the battery disconnecting switch of thi invention includes a casing: Ill having insulating liners II and [2 at the sides, a contact carrying shaft l3 slidably mounted in the casing and an armored cable l4 having a flexiblerod |5extended therethrough and connected, at one end to the shaft [3 and, at the other to a knob l6 which is mounted in a bushing I! in aninstrument panel I8 ofa motor vehicle I 9.v

In. the. design shown the casing I0 is,.form.ed with a mounting clip having bo1t..holes, 2] therein extendediromone end and with.a;rms..22 and 23 extended from the opposite, end. "The cable 14 is crimped', in the outer end of the. arms 22' and23, with thejends of the armsproviding a hub. 24" in which the endsoiithe cable arehld.

The casing Ill is. provided with oppositely positioned terminal. posts 25 and 2fiiwhich extend through openings '21 and 28 "in opposite walls of thecasing and insulating bushings 29 and 30positioned in the openings around the posts to insulate the posts from the casing; Insulating washers 3| and 32 are also provided around the posts and positioned against the outer surfaces of the Walls of the casing. The posts 25 and 26 are provided with heads 33 and 34 respectively and contact fingers 35 and 36 are carried by the inner ends of the posts, the fingers being extended for engagement with a conducting bushing or sleeve 31 in an insulating bushing 38 on the shaft I3. A fiber bushing 39, of the same diameter as the bushing 31 is positioned against one end of the insulating bushing 38 and the bushings are secured in position on the shaft by locking elements 4|] and 4|.

With the parts arranged in this manner the shaft I3, which is slidably mounted in hubs 42 and 43 in the ends of the casin I may be slid lengthwise by the flexible rod l with the knob 16 on the outer end, or by a knob 44 which is threaded on a stud 45 at the end of the shaft l3 whereby th contact bushing 3'! moves away from the spring fingers 35 and 36 and the fingers ride upon the fiber bushing 39. In this movement the contacts or electrical connections to the switch are broken. The flexible rod I5 is connected to the outer end of the shaft It by a screw 46, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 the post 25, which is secured in position by a nut 47 is connected to a battery terminal 48 by a connector 49 with one end 50 of the connector secured on the post 25 by a nut 5!. The opposite end of the connector is provided with a clamp 52 by which it is connected to the battery terminal 48.

The other terminal 58, of the battery, which is indicated by the numeral 59 is connected by a connector 53 at one end, to a bolt 54 of the motor housing. The post 26 is connected by a connection; to a terminal 6! of a starter motor 62, the terminal 6! being connected to the starter switch by a connection 63.

The end of the cable 60 is provided with a connection 55 by which it is secured to the post' 26 by a nut 59, andthe post is clamped in the casing by a nut 57.

The armored cable 54 extends from the switch casing iii to th coupling I! on the instrument board through a fitting 64 and a coupling member 65.

With the parts arranged in this manner the electric circuit of the vehicle is readily broken by drawing the knob l6 outwardly, as illustrated in Figure 1, and the circuit may be instantly completed by pressing the knob inwardly. The switch may also be actuated by the knob 44, as described.

In the design illustrated in Figure 7 a casing 56 similar to the casing I9 is provided with a laterally extended flange 67 that may be connected to a block or frame 68 by a'bolt 69 whereby the casing is positioned at one side or in close proximity to the battery. In this design the switch is provided with a knob Hi similar to the knob 44 and terminal posts (I and 72 corresponding to the posts 25 and 26, respectively, are mounted in the sides with the post H, which is connected to a ground wire 73 of the battery insulated from the casing by a bushing 74 and a washer 75, both of insulating material. The post 12 is directly connected to the casing with a head 76 in the casing and a nut 71 on the outer end. The post TI is provided with a head 78 and a nut 79, and the wire 13 is held thereon by a nut 89.

It will be understood that modifications may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a battery terminal safety switch, an elongated box-like casing having a lining of insulating material extended over the sides and one end thereof, a centrally positioned longitudinally disposed shaft extended through the casing and having a knob on an extended end thereof, an insulating bushing positioned in the casing and mounted on the intermediate part of the shaft, a conducting ring positioned on one end of said bushing, terminal posts mounted in opposite sidesv of said casing, and contact fingers carried by the inner ends of said posts and extended for engagement with the insulating bushing with the shaft in one position and the conducting ring with the shaft in another position.

'2. A battery terminal safety switch comprising an elongated casing, insulated liners positioned within said casing, a sliding shaft extending longitudinally through said casing and having a knob on one extended end thereof, an armored cable having a flexible rod extending therethrough, there being a socket in the other end of said shaft for receiving said rod, a securing element extending into said socket for maintaining said rod immobile, 2, pair of diverging arms extending from an end of said casing and providing a hub for snugly receiving therein said cable, a pair of diametrically opposed terminal posts extending into said casing, an insulated bushing circumposed on each of said posts and provided with an annular rib arranged contiguous to the outer surface of said casing, a head arranged on the inner end of each of said posts, a contact finger extending inwardly from each of said heads, an insulating sleeve mounted on said shaft, there being an annular recess arranged in said sleeve defining a pair of annular spaced parallel flanges, a conducting bushing snugly seated in the recess in said sleeve and adapted to be engaged by the inner end of said fingers, an insulated shell positioned on said shaft and abutting one of said flanges, said shell having the same diameter as said conducting bushing, and locking elements arranged contiguous to the ends of said conducting bushing.

J OHN F. RUCHINSKI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in file of this patent: the

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

